📷 Self Portraits

This is week 1 in the 52frames.com annual challenge. I have found it so helpful to have an assignment and the accountability of friends also doing it. I thought it would be cool to “show my work” as I learn about the various facets of the challenges.

This week: Self-portraits. I’m usually behind the camera, and am easily the least-photographed person in the house, so already it’s a different kind of shot.

First I binged about a dozen videos from favourite online photographers. These two were stand outs; first some best-in-class examples that won’t push me in one direction too much.

And this one that just shows the simple trial and error involved.

I also found it helpful to hear that even some very experienced self-portrait shooters will have to run back and forth dozens of times to capture the shot they are after – and  even then often walk away with nothing.

My approach is to come up with at least two ideas to be shot at different times in the week; a safe-idea and a more creative one. I will probably end up using this safe shot which uses studio lighting rather than the more conceptual idea that got rained out. This is straight from camera, I will do some processing on my actual submission which will be on my 52 frames profile here. Fun.

Tada: I did basic edits, one adjustment layer for my right eye, removed a nose hair, and cropped.

Not perfect, but I’m very happy with this. One of my first times choosing to shoot full manual rather than aperture priority.

I wanted to shoot something that looked serious at first blush, but have something quirky and “off” about it for those taking a closer look – I think I’ve seen John Cleese do portraits in a similar vein. There’s something about this pose that I find amusing; it’s like how an AI thinks a human naturally poses. I also seized the opportunity to hint at the “Canadian Tuxedo”.

Categorized in: Personal, Photography

This post was written by Arley